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PERSPECTIVE article

Front. Health Serv.
Sec. Implementation Science
Volume 4 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/frhs.2024.1449253

Organization Theory for Implementation Science: Reflections and Recommendations

Provisionally accepted
Sarah A. Birken Sarah A. Birken 1*Jure Baloh Jure Baloh 2Michelle Kegler Michelle Kegler 3Terry Huang Terry Huang 4,5Matthew Lee Matthew Lee 6Prajakta Adsul Prajakta Adsul 7Grace Ryan Grace Ryan 8Alexandra G. Peluso Alexandra G. Peluso 9Cheyenne Wagi Cheyenne Wagi 9Aliza Randazzo Aliza Randazzo 9Megan A Mullins Megan A Mullins 10Kristin E Morrill Kristin E Morrill 11Linda K Ko Linda K Ko 12
  • 1 Department of Implementation Science, School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, United States
  • 2 Department of Health Policy and Management, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, The University of Arkansas for Medical Science, Little Rock, Arizona, United States
  • 3 Emory Prevention Research Center, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
  • 4 Center for Systems and Community Design, Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, City University of New York, New York, United States
  • 5 Prevention Research Center, Department of Population Health, School of Medicine, New York University, New York, New York, United States
  • 6 Department of Population Health, School of Medicine, New York University, New York, New York, United States
  • 7 Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
  • 8 Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
  • 9 Department of Implementation Science, School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States
  • 10 Harold C Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
  • 11 LeCroy and Milligan Associates Inc., Tucson, Arizona, United States
  • 12 Department of Health Systems and Population Health, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Organizations exert influence on the implementation of evidence-based practices and other innovations that are independent of the influence of organizations’ individual constituents. Despite their influence, nuanced explanations of organizations’ influence remain limited in implementation science. Organization theories are uniquely suited to offer insights and explain organizational influences on implementation. In this paper, we describe the efforts of the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network’s (CPCRN) Organization Theory for Implementation Science (OTIS) workgroup to equip implementation scientists with theory-guided understanding of organizational influences on implementation. We provide a set of recommendations for future efforts to enhance implementation through the use of organization theories and OTIS tools.

    Keywords: organization theory, implementation science, Organization Science, framework, healthcare

    Received: 14 Jun 2024; Accepted: 19 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Birken, Baloh, Kegler, Huang, Lee, Adsul, Ryan, Peluso, Wagi, Randazzo, Mullins, Morrill and Ko. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Sarah A. Birken, Department of Implementation Science, School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, United States

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.